balloon

lead balloon

An utter failure and/or something that causes displeasure. Often heard in the phrase "go over like a lead balloon." A: "How do you think everyone will react to the lack of bonuses this year?" B: "Oh, that news will go over like a lead balloon!"I thought I'd finally had a breakthrough with my latest invention, but it turned out to be a lead balloon, like all the others.

go down like a lead balloon

To be an utter failure and/or something that causes displeasure. Primarily heard in UK. A: "How do you think everyone will react to the lack of bonuses this year?" B: "Oh, that news will go down like a lead balloon!"

the balloon goes up

The situation becomes serious, critical, chaotic, or troublesome. Often used in the past tense ("the balloon went up"). If we don't get that shipment by Friday, the balloon goes up, and we lose the account.He tweeted it, and the balloon went up.

go over

Euph. to leave one's country and go to ideologically opposed or enemy country; to defect. When the ballet company visited New York, two of the dancers went over.He had been spying for the Americans for many years, and he finally went over.

go over like a lead balloon

Fig. to fail completely; to go over badly. Your joke went over like a lead balloon.If that play was supposed to be a comedy, it went over like a lead balloon.Her suggestion went over like a lead balloon.

go over someone or something

to examine someone or something. The doctor will go over you very carefully, I'm sure.I went over the papers and found nothing wrong.

go over something(with someone)

to review or explain something. The teacher went over the lesson with the class.Can you please go over it again, more slowly?

go over (to some place)

to travel some distance or cross water to get to some place. We went over to Cedar Point and spent the day having fun.John went over to the other side of the stadium for the rest of the tournament.

go over (well)

[for someone or something] to be accepted or well received. The party went over very well.The play really went over with the audience.

send someone or something up

1.Lit. to order someone to go upward to a higher level; to arrange for something to be taken upward to a higher level. I'll send up Gary. They are hungry on the tenth floor. Let's send some sandwiches up.

2.Fig. to parody or ridicule someone or something. Comedians love to send the president or some other famous person up. The comedian sent up the vice president.

send someone up

send up a trial balloon

to suggest something and see how people respond to it; to test public opinion. Mary had an excellent idea, but when we sent up a trial balloon, the response was very negative. Don't start the whole project without sending up a trial balloon.

trial balloon

balloon goes up, the

The undertaking begins, as in He's going to announce his candidacy for mayor-the balloon goes up on Monday. This expression comes from World War I, when British artillery sent up a balloon to notify gunners to open fire, this visual signal being more reliable than courier or telephone. It was soon transferred to signal other kinds of beginning. [1915]

go over

1. Examine, review. For example, They went over the contract with great care, or I think we should go over the whole business again. This term originated in the late 1500s, then meaning "consider in sequence."

2. Gain acceptance or approval, succeed, as in I hope the play goes over. This term is sometimes elaborated to go over big or go over with a bang for a big success, and go over like a lead balloon for a dismal failure. [Early 1900s]

3. Rehearse, as in Let's go over these lines one more time. [Second half of 1700s]

send up

1. Put in prison, as in He'll be sent up for at least ten years. [Mid-1800s]

2. Cause to rise, as in The emissions sent up by that factory are clearly poisonous. [Late 1500s]

3. Satirize, make a parody of, as in This playwright has a genius for sending up suburban life. [First half of 1900s]

trial balloon

An idea or plan advanced tentatively to test public reaction, as in Let's send up a trial balloon for this new program before we commit ourselves. This expression alludes to sending up balloons to test weather conditions. [c. 1930]

the balloon goes up

mainly BRITISH

If the balloon goes up, something happens that causes a situation suddenly to become very serious. On the Saturday the balloon went up. Henry said he would be going out and not returning until the Sunday afternoon. Sara told him to take all his things and not to return at all.On the line was his solicitor warning that the balloon was about to go up. Note: In the First World War, balloons were used both to protect targets from air attacks, and to observe the enemy. The fact that a balloon had gone up therefore indicated that trouble was coming.

go down like a lead balloon

If something goes down like a lead balloon, people do not like it at all. Note: Lead is a very heavy metal. A senior source said the memo had gone down like a lead balloon.His transfer from Brentford football club went down like a lead balloon with fans. Note: You can call something that is unsuccessful or unpopular a a lead balloon. Truman knew that this cause was a lead balloon at the UN.

float a trial balloon

mainly AMERICAN

COMMON If someone floats a trial balloon they suggest an idea or plan in order to see what people think about it. The administration has not officially released any details of the president's economic plan, although numerous trial balloons have been floated. Note: Other verbs can be used instead of float. Weeks ago, the Tories were flying a trial balloon about banning teacher strikes. Note: You can call an idea or suggestion that is made to test public opinion a trial balloon. The idea is nothing more than a trial balloon at this point. Note: Balloons were formerly used to find out about weather conditions.

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